A diagram shows the locations of Venus, the moon and the Pleiades early in the morning of June 26, 2022, as seen from New York City. (Image credit: Starry Night) The rare five-planet alignment of 2022 remains in view through this first weekend of summer. To see it at its best, you must be up at the crack of dawn. But if you are, you’ll be rewarded with what likely will be the most eye-catching celestial rendezvous between the two brightest objects in the night sky: Venus and the moon.…
Read MoreMonth: June 2022
Funko to can NASA astronauts as limited-edition Soda vinyl figures
NASA astronauts are finally crossing into “Pop” culture. Funko, the collectibles company best known for its line of Pop! brand vinyl figures, has revealed its first product depicting a NASA astronaut (opens in new tab). Part of Funko’s popular Soda line, the new spacesuit-clad toy is due out this fall. “The newest selection of Funko Soda figures has arrived!” the company stated on its website (opens in new tab) earlier this week. “This line of Funko Soda figures includes … a NASA astronaut.” First introduced two years ago, each Funko…
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, June 24 – July 2
The crescent Moon returns to the evening, crossing Leo. The five-planet lineup continues at dawn; catch it while you still can. And for skywatchers at northern latitudes, we’re entering noctilucent cloud season. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 24 – July 2 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreNASA Sets Live Launch Coverage for CAPSTONE Mission to Moon
NASA will air live launch coverage of the agency’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE), the first spacecraft to fly a specific unique lunar orbit ahead of future missions with crew.
Read MoreSupernovae Swept Out Barnard’s Loop in Orion
Astronomers have mapped Orion in 3D to understand the origin of the large arc of Barnard’s Loop — and you can interact with the 3D image! The post Supernovae Swept Out Barnard's Loop in Orion appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreMirrors Aligned: Webb Telescope’s First Full-Color Images Due in July
We’re counting down to the release of the Webb Telescope’s first full-color images!
Read MoreAriane 5 rocket launches 2 communications satellites to orbit from South America
A European heavy-lift rocket launched two communications satellites to orbit from South America on Wednesday evening (June 22). An Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on Wednesday at 5:50 p.m. EDT (2150 GMT). That was 47 minutes into the 100-minute launch window, time that France-based Arianespace took to perform some extra checks on the rocket. The Ariane 5 — the same type of rocket that launched NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on Dec. 25, 2021 — carried two payloads on Wednesday’s mission, both of…
Read MoreUnprecedented! ‘The Orville’ Season 3 Episode 3 scores a perfect 10 from us
Warning: Spoilers ahead for “The Orville” season 3, episode 3 You read that headline correctly : We’re giving this episode of “The Orville,” entitled “Mortality Paradox,” a perfect 10. And while this latest installment might not appeal to those fearful of flying — or stand-up paddleboarding, for that matter — it is nonetheless a mind-boggling, full-throttle, thrill-a-minute, plot-twisting, edge-of-seat adrenaline ride that will absolutely, positively keep you glued to your TV screens for every single second of its 60 minutes. What makes this episode stand out from any other is the…
Read MoreNASA Administrator Announces Next NAC Meeting, New Members
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Wednesday the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) will convene its next meeting on August 9-10. Nelson also appointed new members to the NAC, who will provide leadership counsel and advice on agency programs and priorities.
Read MoreHow Octavia E. Butler mined her boundless curiosity to forge a new vision for humanity
This article was originally published at The Conversation. (opens in new tab) The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Alyssa Collins (opens in new tab), Assistant Professor of English Language and Literature, University of South Carolina In 2021, Alyssa Collins (opens in new tab) was awarded a yearlong Octavia E. Butler Fellowship from The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens (opens in new tab) in San Marino, California. Butler, whose papers are held at the Huntington, was the first science fiction writer to be awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant. A pioneering…
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